Daily Times

LAHORE: The Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC)’s ‘peace and security caravan’ Sunday left for Dear Ghazi Khan from Lahore.

Addressing a gathering in connection with the peace caravan, clerics said that ongoing counterterrorism efforts should be transformed into a public movement. They also urged the government, political and religious leadership of the country to support Operation Radd-ul-Fassad.

Speaking on this occasion, PUC Chairman Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi said, “Had the National Action Plan been implemented in letter and spirit, incidents of terrorism would not have resurfaced in the country.”

He went on to say that endeavours should be made on ideological and intellectual grounds to defeat mindset of extremism. He also urged the government to make a ‘national stance’ against terrorism and extremism.

In his address, PUC Vice Chairman Maulana Muhammad Ayub Safdar said that religious sections of Pakistan had been playing a frontline role for annihilation of terrorism and extremism and were supporting the government and security institutions in this cause.

He said that ‘Peace and Security Caravan’ was demonstration of support and cooperation of religious leadership to Operation Radd-ul-Fassad.

PUC Punjab President Maulana Muhammad Shafi Qasmi said that ‘Second Annual World Message of Islam Conference’ would be held on April 12 in Islamabad. He vowed that the conference would pave way for formation of an ‘ideological alliance’ for eradication of terrorism, extremism and sectarian violence.

Later, when the caravan reached Sahiwal, Ashrafi said urged the government to issue a notification for continuation of military courts and take concrete steps for judicial reforms in the country.

Office bearers and representatives of the PUC, including Maulana Shakeel Qasmi,Maulana Ataaullah Raheemi, Maulana Ashraf Atif, Qari Asadullah, Dr Rehan Zafar, Maulana Muhamamd Khalil, Maulana Muhammad Aslam Qadri, Maulana Abdul Qayyum, Maulana Muhammad Mufti Muhammad Amjad, Maulana GhulamYaseen Baloch, Qari Hafeezur Rehman, Maulana Qari MuhamamdAsghar, Qari Muhamamd Yusuf, Hafiz Rab Nawaz, Qari Muhammad Majid, Maulana Niaz Ahmed Rasheedi, Maulana Tanzeelur Rehman, Maulana Talah faisal, Qari Abu Bakar, Mufti KifayaTullah and others are also participating in the caravan.